Social Work with Older Adults and Their Families: Changing Practice Paradigms

2005 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta R. Greene ◽  
Harriet L. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Aging Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Multiple Systems ◽  
Changing Practice ◽  
Work Intervention ◽  
Difficult Situations

Given the far-reaching social, economic, and demographic changes in the aging population, the authors argue for a methodological and practice-oriented transformation in future geriatric social work. The authors suggest that if they are to maintain their independence and well-being, a resilience-enhancing social work intervention will be especially effective in fostering the specific survival skills that older adults often already utilize to help them cope with difficult situations. A risk-resilience model sensitive to ethnic difference and practiced at multiple systems levels (e.g., the community) is offered as an advancement of the traditional models of social work practice. In conclusion, the authors emphasize the value of a strengths perspective to address the pressing issues that affect the aging population.

Social Work in Health Care with Older Adults: Future Challenges

2005 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara J. Berkman ◽  
Daniel S. Gardner ◽  
Bradley D. Zodikoff ◽  
Linda K. Harootyan
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Future Challenges

Dramatic changes in demography, epidemiology, and the financing and delivery of health care have significantly affected the lives of older adults and their families. The authors review current and future trends in aging and health care in the United States and their implications for social work practice in enhancing the health and well-being of older adults and their caregivers. Health care social work in the 21st century requires the development and application of evidence-based knowledge that reflects the interrelatedness of aging, physical and mental health, and intergenerational family processes. The authors demonstrate the value of social work research to issues that are in the forefront of gerontological health care practice, policy, and education.

Financial capabilities development: essential discourse in social work

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 1234-1246
Author(s):  
Lambert K. Engelbrecht ◽  
Abigail Ornellas
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Community Education ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vulnerable Households ◽  
Definition Of

Purpose Within a neoliberal environment, financial vulnerability of households has become an increasing challenge and there is a requirement of financial literacy education, a necessary activity to facilitate sustainable development and well-being. However, this is seldom a mainstream discourse in social work deliberations. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach First, introducing the neoliberal impact on financial well-being and capability for vulnerable households, the authors’ postulation is substantiated on a seven-point argument. The contexts of financially vulnerable households are sketched. Second, a conceptualisation of financial literacy is offered, and third, perspectives on and approaches to financial literacy as a fundamental capability are presented. This is followed by a theoretical foundation of community education as a practice model in social work to develop financial capabilities. In the fifth place, prevailing practices of Financial Capabilities Development (FCD) programmes are offered. Subsequently, the implications of a neoliberal environment for social work practice are examined. Findings The revised global definition of social work encourages the profession to understand and address the structural causes of social problems through collective interventions. As a response, it is argued that community education towards FCD of vulnerable households within a neoliberal environment should be an essential discourse in social development. Originality/value The authors reflect on the significance of FCD, highlighting its contribution towards human security and sustainable development. Although this paper draws on Southern African contexts, the discourse finds resonance in other contexts across the world.

Calling Social Work to the Movement for Educational Justice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annahita Ball
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Educational Justice ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
Conditions For Learning ◽  
History Of

Abstract The persistent and systemic inequities within the U.S. public education system have grave implications for children’s and youth’s outcomes, yet these inequities go far beyond academics. Marginalized and vulnerable students experience injustices across the educational system, including disproportionality in school discipline, unequal access to advanced courses, and poor conditions for learning. Social work has a solid history of addressing issues that intersect across families, schools, and communities, but the profession has had little engagement in the recent educational justice movement. As educational scholars advance a movement to address educational inequities, it will be increasingly important for social work researchers to provide valuable insight into the multiple components that make up youth development and support positive well-being for all individuals within a democratic society. This article encourages social work researchers to extend lines of inquiry that investigate educational justice issues by situating social work practice and research within educational justice and suggesting an agenda for future social work research that will advance equity for all students.

Increasing Student Empathy Toward Older Adults Using the Virtual Dementia Tour

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. S-23-S-40
Author(s):  
Jana Donahoe ◽  
Lisa Moon ◽  
Kathy VanCleave
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Student Knowledge ◽  
Course Content

Educators know too well the challenges of teaching BSW students about social work practice with older adults. Students hesitate to work with older adults due to personal fears about aging, lack of experiences with this population, or stereotypical misconceptions about older adults and nursing homes. It is apparent that many students have difficulty empathizing with older adults because they have never experienced what it is like to be an older adult with dementia. A solution to this problem is incorporating an immersive experiential learning simulation called the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) into BSW course content. The findings indicate that the VDT was an effective evidence-based learning tool for increasing student knowledge about aging and improving their empathy and sensitivity toward older adults with dementia.

scholarly journals Degrowth for transformational alternatives as radical social work practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-433
Author(s):  
Meredith C.F. Powers ◽  
Komalsingh Rambaree ◽  
Jef Peeters
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Ecological Justice ◽  
The World

Historically, and in modern times, social workers have been culpable in perpetuating the very systems of oppression that we seek to eliminate. This happens as we are part of cultures and economies that operate out of the growth ideology. Acting in accordance with the growth ideology does not lead to the outcomes that we strive for as professional social workers. Rather, the growth ideology results in growing social inequalities and increasing ecological injustices around the world. Social work can, instead, embrace an ecosocial lens and promote degrowth approaches for transformational alternatives. Rather than reinforcing the existing systems of injustice and oppression, radical social work can take an activist role and bring about urgent and radical changes to promote ecological justice through social and ecological well-being. Examples from radical social work in local and international communities demonstrate the possibility of degrowth for transformational alternatives as radical social work practice.

scholarly journals An analysis of inclusion gaps in sustainable development themes: Findings from a review of recent social work literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 864-876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M Bexell ◽  
Jessica L Decker Sparks ◽  
Jacqueline Tejada ◽  
Andreas Rechkemmer
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Human History ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Health And Well Being

Recently, humans have negatively altered ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in any other time in human history, contributing to gains in well-being and economic development for some, while threatening the security of most, particularly oppressed populations. We comprehensively reviewed recent social work literature (2010–2015) to examine gaps in environmental sustainability themes relevant to social work practice. Peer-reviewed manuscripts, dissertations/theses and white papers were examined. A total of 71 papers (less than 1% of social work literature) met inclusion criteria. Although our call is to protect human health and well-being, recent literature does not account for sustainability even with evidence that environmental issues directly impact clients, hindering practice efficacy.

Community Development with Older Adults in Their Neighborhoods: The Elder Friendly Communities Program

2005 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 401-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol D. Austin ◽  
Elizabeth Des Camp ◽  
David Flux ◽  
Robert W. McClelland ◽  
Jackie Sieppert
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Community Practice ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Gerontological Social Work ◽  
Multicultural Practice ◽  
Development Practice

In this article, the authors report on lessons drawn from more than 3 years of experience with seniors-led community development at the neighborhood level, the Elder Friendly Communities Program (EFCP). Although community practice has a long history in social work, it has been largely neglected with older adults. Based on analysis of qualitative data, the authors discuss key themes that inform community development practice with seniors including (a) challenging the dominant paradigm of community-based service delivery, (b) efficiency and sustainability, (c) expectations and perceptions of expertise, (d) involvement and leadership, and (e) multicultural practice. With a growing and increasingly healthy elder population, it is time to expand the scope of gerontological social work practice beyond a focus on disability and dependency.

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